Self-sealing envelope



April 19, 1938- B. BERKWITZ 2,114,367

SELF SEALING ENVELOPE I Filed March `25, 1956 umn uw u NVENTOR ff/ymff/rmyz ORNEY' Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNITED sTATEs PATENT oFFicE SELF-SEALING ENVELOPE Application March 25, 1936, Serial No. 70,873

3 Claims.

This invention relates to self-sealing envelopes and similar containers employing a self-sealing gum, or adhesive substance, such as latex, on the l closures thereof whereby they may be sealed 5 without the use of moisture.

Containers of this type are particularly suited for enclosures likely to be aifected by moisture, for the reason that adhesives of the latex type require no moisture in effecting a seal and the seal A when completed is of waterproof character.

However, it is necessary to provide the adhesive on the sealing flap or closure and also on the registering portion of the container to which it is sealed, consequently, it is difllcult to package or handle the containers prior .to their use without causing accidental sealing of the adhesive.

- Various methods have been devised, such as auxiliary naps, to prevent accidental' contact of the adhesive substances. ever, have not proved entirely satisfactory for the reason t at the containers are dilicult to produce on pres nt day envelope-making machines. Moreover, these constructions leave a large part of the underlying portions of the apsl unsealed when the containers are in use.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the' presen t invention to provide a container of this character with a closure so constructed that the flap may be positioned in the same manner as the flap of a conventionalfenvelope without danger of precontacting of the adhesive substances, and when sealed tightly closes the container against exposure or loss of its contents.,

It is a further object of the present invention 3.3 to provide an envelope of this character that may be produced on the presentxlay Venvelopemaking machines. A

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of .4@ construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an envelope embodying the features of the present invention and showing the sealing ap in extended condition.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sealing flap folded over the back of the envelope but out of sealing contact with its complementary sealing stripe. 5') Fig. 3 is a section through the envelope showing the sealing ap in `sealed condition.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates an envelope constructed in accordance with my invention and which is formed o5 of foldablematerial, such as paper orthe like,

These methods, howhaving a surface which does not adhere to adhesives of latex character when in substantially dehydrated form. 'I'he envelope includes a substantially rectangular portion 3, a-back flap 4, sealing ap 5, and side and bottom flaps 6 and l. 5 The rectangular portion 3 constitutes the front body portionof the envelope and has its edges defined by fold lines 9, Il), II and I2, spaced toy conform to the sizeA and shape of the completed envelope. 10

The back ilap 4 lies coextensively with the fold line 9 and is of suftcient width to overlie the portion 3. The bottom and side flaps 6 and I are coextensive with the fold lines I2 and IIl respectively and are folded over and sealed to the l5 back flap to form the back portion of the envelope.

The sealing ap 5 is coextensive with the fold line I I, and has its sides preferably inclined as at I3 to merge-with the fold lines 9 and III at the 20 sides of the envelope. The front face of the sealing flap is provided with a stripe I 4 of self-sealing gum, or adhesive substance, such as latex, to cooperate with a similar stripe I5 of latex extending along the outer face of the back portion of the 25 envelope as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When the sealing flap is extended (Fig. 1) the latex stripe thereon lies. on the front face of the envelope, opposite to the latex stripe on the back portion, so that the envelopes may be packaged 30 in stacked relation without danger of contacting the latex portions of one envelope with those of the adjacent envelope to cause sticking of the envelopes together. The nature of the latex is such that when dried it will not adhere to the paper 35 or other material forming the envelope, so that even though the latex on one envelope contacts an uncoated surface on an adjacent envelope it will not adhere thereto.

'I'he latex stripe I5 is spaced below a fold line 40 I6 extending through the body of the envelope at a point spaced below the insert opening I'I a distance slightly greater than the depth of the sealing flap. Therefore, the sealing flap may be l folded on the line II over the insert opening I1 45 to lie in contact with that portion of the back and side flaps between the line II and the latex I5, in which position the latex stripes lie on the same side of the envelope but they are retained out of contact, or if desired the entire sealing ap may be folded over the back flap on the line I6, to overlie the latex stripe I5 on the back portion. This folding corresponds to that of a conventional envelope, but the latex stripes thereof cannot come in contact as the stripe I5 .is 55 the-envelopes are stacked.

covered by the back face of the sealing ap, while the stripe I4 is on the outer or front face of the sealing flap. e

Attention is herel directed to the fact that when the latexed portion of thesealing flap is folded on the line II the outer edge of the sealing flap -substantially registers with the'fold line I6 and the latex stripes extend in slightly spaced, parallel relation so that when the ap is again folded on the line I6 the latex stripes will be brought into sealing contact with each other to effect an autogenous seal when the closure flap is pressed against the back flap. While the sealing material might be extended to the edges I5 and I6 of the envelope, it is preferable to leave a 'slight margin as shown, so as to prevent any likelihood of the edges sticking together when In using the envelope the sealing flap is extended as shown in Fig. 1, to'expose the insert opening I'I to permit insertion of the articles to be enclosed, whereupon the sealing flap is folded on the line II so that the latex I4 thereon lies in coextensive, parallel relation to the latex stripe I5. The envelope isthen folded on the line I6 to bring the latex stripes into sealing contact with each other. Then upon applying pressure to the sealing flap the latex portions form an autogenous seal due to the autogenic characteristic 'of latex.

An envelope constructed in accordance with the invention is particularly adapted for containing powder, seeds, and other merchandise that is likely to escape from the envelope for the reason that folding of the end of the envelope on the score I6 forms a positive guardagainst loss of the merchandise, in addition to the -seal effected by the latex stripesv I4 and I5.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided an envelope equipped with autogenous or self-sealing features, which conforms in character to a standard envelope, and wherein the closure ilaps may be so positioned as to retain the cooperative adhesive substances out of contacting engagement prior to use thereof.

It is also obvious that by folding the sealing ap retractively on itself to bring the sealing substances into contacting registry a seal is effected directly at the open mouth orvinsert opening I1 of the envelope.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A v

1. An envelope including front and back portions forming a pocket having an insert opening extending along an edge of the pocket and having a score extending across said portions at a point spaced below the insert opening, and a sealing substance on said portion below the score, a sealing flap on the other portion having a sealing substance on its outer face and having a score between said sealing substance and the insert opening whereon the portion of the sealing flap bearing the sealing substance is bent back over the insert opening to bring the sealing substances into registry When a fold is made on the score extending across said front and back portions.

2. An envelope including front and back p0rtions forming a pocket having an insert opening extending along an edge of the pocket and having a score extending across said portions at a point spaced below the insert opening, one of said portions having a seal on' its outer face and extending below said score, and a sealing flap on the other portion having a seal on its outer face and having' a score between the seal and the insert opening whereon the portion of the sealing flap bearing the seal is bent back over the insert opening to bring the sealsI into registry when a fold is made on the score extending across the front and back portions.

3. An envelope including interconnected front and. back body portions forming a pocket having an insert opening, a sealing ap on one of said portions having a fold substantially registering with the insert opening whereon said sealing flap is foldable over the other portion, a sealing substance onthe outer face of the sealing flap, and a sealing substance on the other portion spaced below the .insert opening a distance slightly greater than the `height of the sealing iiap, said front and back portions having registering folds whereon said envelope is bendable between the EUGENE B. BERKOWITZ. 

